


Shackled

by TetrodotoxinB



Series: Whumptober 2019 [9]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: (the self-injury is so he can escape), Beating, Blood, Day 9, Dislocated Joint, Prompt: Shackled, Whumptober 2019, medical treatment, self-injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 07:54:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20963084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TetrodotoxinB/pseuds/TetrodotoxinB
Summary: Mac is shackled to a wall and Jack is getting the crap kicked out of him. If they hurry, they can still make exfil, but getting there isn't going to be pretty.Whumptober Prompt: Shackled





	Shackled

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by [Secret_Library98](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secret_Library98/pseuds/Secret_Library98).

_Most people think that tetanus comes from rusty metal but actually that’s not entirely true. The original connection between the two was made from people getting cuts on rusty farm equipment and nails, most of which had been in contact with animal waste. But even though rusty metal might not give you tetanus, that doesn’t mean that it won’t hurt you._

Another muffled thud lands in the next room and Mac can hear the way Jack groans from the blow. He twists his wrists in the manacles above his head, desperate to find a way to escape, but the rusty iron is tight around his arms. It’s frustrating. If he could get his hands together, Mac could easily pick the single-tumbler locks without a problem, but with nearly two feet between his hands, it’s not a viable option.

Blood trickles down Mac’s arms as the manacles dig into and split his skin. It hurts, but as long as he doesn’t stop, the pain is manageable. The hardest part will be having to start again if he has to stop. His endorphins will drop and his nerves will have time to recover, but for the moment the pain is blunted so Mac makes the best of it.

It’s not a perfect solution, using his own blood to lubricate the cuffs enough to slip out, but it’s something, and Mac knows that time is of the essence. If they can escape soon, they can still make exfil. Mac turns his wrists again and pain flares along the broken skin where the manacles cut deeper, rubbing against bone, but the cuffs are slick, and now’s as good as any other time. Spurred on by Jack’s sounds of distress in the other room, Mac grabs the manacle and chain in his right hand, and then he relaxes his left hand, tucks his thumb against his palm, and jumps, allowing his weight to pull his left hand through the metal ring. 

With a pop that turns Mac’s stomach, his thumb gives, pulling out of socket enough to allow his hand to slip free. He bites his lip to stifle his cry of pain and instinctually cradles his injured hand close to his chest. But as much as Mac wants to worry over his hand, they have a limited amount of time to escape and Mac makes himself move, taking the paperclip from his right hand and quickly picking the lock. It’s hard work without a functional thumb, but Mac gets it done. 

Once free, it’s easy enough to tear into the fluorescent light fixture and strip the wires bare. When they come back through the door, Jack drug along between them, it’s barely a challenge to shock them all into near-unconsciousness. Mac palms a HID prox badge from one of the guards, and from there it’s a matter of outrunning their pursuers as they badge through various doors on their way out of the facility.

Jack, for having taken one helluva beating, is doing his best to keep pace, but every few steps he stumbles and eventually Mac tucks his good shoulder under Jack’s left arm. Together, they limp their way to exfil just as the helo is about to leave.

The agents haul them aboard and the corpsman looks them both over before pointing at Mac to sit down first. Mac tries to tell them that Jack needs the help more, to explain that he’s not really all that hurt, but when he looks down he finally takes stock of just how much blood is on his hands and arms. Between the adrenaline and how focused he was on escape, Mac hadn’t really paid any attention to the damage to his wrists. Only his thumb had been of importance because it impeded his work. 

But despite the fact that Jack is clearly hurting, the look of fear on Jack’s face while he looks at Mac’s torn skin is what finally gets Mac to sit down and let the medic work. And as Mac had expected, now that the endorphins have worn off and the nerves have had time to rest, cleaning his wounds is a white hot agony that races up his arms. It’s everything he can do to sit still while the medic rinses and picks out bits of rust from his torn skin.

Finally, his wrists are bandaged and the medic has given Mac an antibiotic shot, and then it’s time to set his thumb. There’s nothing Mac can do to avoid the scream that tears out of his throat when the corpsman pulls his thumb back into place. When he looks up, there’s Jack looking at him with wet eyes and a sad smile that says, _I know you did this for me._

But Mac also knows that Jack intentionally pissed off their captors so they’d leave Mac alone. It’s a two-way street — each of them playing to the other’s strengths and taking whatever hits come their way as a result. 

The corpsman splints his thumb, wraps his hand, and then motions for Jack to trade places with Mac. As they cut away Jack’s shirt, Mac can’t help the tug in his chest when he sees the livid, purple marks that cover Jack’s torso.

_I know you did this for me._

Mac swallows, sad but grateful for someone like Jack to watch his back.


End file.
